View Single Post
  #1   Report Post  
posted to rec.boats
 
Posts: n/a
Default What Does "Self Bailing" Mean for a 18-ft Center Console?

I would like to know how a 18-ft center console to be able to
self-bailing.

I have just owned a 1995 Sea Ray 18-ft Laguna center console. One of
its feature is a self-bailing fiberglass hull. How does the self
bailing work in the context of this center console?

I see that there is very low freeboard in the stern area (like 6
inches). I suppose most of the water that goes over the bow onto the
deck will flow back into the sea through the stern because there is
nothing to stop the water from flowing out. This should work if the
boat is managed to be on plane and the bow is tilting up slightly to
move all the water to the stern area.

I also see that there are two one-way valves on the deck level right at
the edge of the stern to drain what little water remaining on the deck
out to the sea.

And I also see that it has a bilge pump in the bilge area near the
stern of the boat. I suppose water that somehow finds its way into the
bilge area will be pumped away.

Are these what "Self Bailing" means?

There is not any other holes on the hull to drain water out.

I am asking this because I would like to add a splashwell near the
stern area to prevent water from getting onto the deck when the boat is
in idle or when I drive the boat backward. But I don't want this
splashwell to defect the purpose of "Self Bailing". Therefore, I want
to understand how this "Self Baiting" works before I add the
splashwell.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan